Another busy week at work has begun. I’m loving the schedule I’ve got. Grade two M-Th afternoons and Friday mornings and flex M-Th mornings. I’ve been doing everything from kindergarten to grade five, special ed, field trip supervision, filing and whatever else so it keeps my brain in gear (which it really hasn’t been in over a year) and because I have no prep for the mornings I drop the boy off late at his sitter’s place and we get more morning play time. I get out of school at 3:30 and even though my school is far away I drive craftily and pick him up between 3:45 and 3:50 every day.

Yesterday he got his first injury without me and, believe it or not, neither of us was traumatized! (More unbelievable for me than him for those of you who know me, right?) He got a bad bite on his arm from one of the other boys (my friend’s daughter who’s also there got two bites today from the same kid!) He’s got a nasty bruise but no broken skin. The sitter said he just looked at him as if to ask “What’d ya do that for, you big meanie?” and then went about his business of playing. Poor kid. The kid in question has been biting for a while. She gives him his soother for oral stim but he pops it out, bites, and puts it back in! Anyway, I’m sure it’s not the last time he’ll get picked on and it’s good to know he’s so well adjusted and it takes a hell of a lot to make him freak out!

On to a book review…

I’ve been reading The No-Cry Discipline Solution: Gentle Ways to Encourage Good Behavior Without Whining, Tantrums, and Tears by Elizabeth Pantley as part of the latest Mother-Talk blog book tour. I will admit a slight parenting book addiction, though I rarely follow any of their advice and just do what comes naturally and what works for us. I like to read and talk about as many strategies as possible so that I have a large bank of things to pull from in all aspects of parenting (and teaching) though most of what I do is instinctual and also based on the way I was raised. (Yes, I want to be just like my mommy!)

In our house our parenting leans toward attachment and very gentle discipline & distraction as well as logical consequences. With a background in early childhood education I can be quite critical (via internal dialogue only) about the parenting techniques of some people because I’ve seen first hand what continuous punishment/yelling/insert ineffective parenting strategy here does to a child.

So that’s why, when I read The No-Cry Discipline Solution I was immediately caught up in it.

Part one (parenting attitudes) and part two (skills & tools) may seem unnecessary to those of us without anger & discipline issues, but to any parent who is struggling (which can be any of us on any given day, right?) these more theory focused chapters are extremely important. They give you the background which will enable you to successfully implement the strategies that Pantley presents. Part three directs anger in a non-judgmental but very helpful way. Though I’m not an angry person I can see how this chapter would almost be like mild therapy for someone who is, and I love the way that she so gently yet adamantly tells parents that anger damages children and to get help if they need it. So so true.

Part four, if you’re desperate and don’t have time to read the rest, gives concrete examples of specific solutions for the problems we experience every day. (Sibling fights, several sleep issues, doesn’t come when called, hitting a parent and so many more.) This is my favourite section of the book and I think of is as a manual of sorts. One you keep on a main floor shelf where you can pull it out easily as a reference before you deal with a situation that might either blow up in your face or frustrate both you and your child.

In all, a very highly recommended book! I’ll be referencing it regularly.